North Texas Man Billed $1,436 in Tolls for Car He Sold

NBC 5 DFW ^ | July 10, 2015 | Scott Gordon

[rbg81]

Interesting. I’ve never lived in a State that had that rule.

[Responsibility2nd]

This is true. And I doubt that 95% of us Texans know that.

But then, most cars are traded in to a dealer.

[IYAS9YAS]

My home state of Idaho has a little attachment on the title itself (or at least it did a few years ago) that you detach, fill out, and mail in along with $2. That covers you in case this type of thing ever happens, or the driver pulls a hit and run, etc... New Mexico has a form you can fill out and send in. I’ve done it for every vehicle I sold via Craigslist here in NM.

[IYAS9YAS]

Who sells a car without removing the license plates?

Alaskans do this. The tags stay with the car unless they are specialty plates.

California does this, too.

And Delaware.

See here: http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/transfer-of-plates/

[AppyPappy]

“The buyer never turned in the title to the state and kept the same license plates. So on paper, Bartlett remained the registered owner.”

Sux2bu Bartlett. You should have kept the plates.

[Rodamala]

I had a job in Tyler and flew into Dallas and bad the HUGE mistake of taking the toll road that YOU CAN NOT PAY THE TOLL FOR. There are no collection booths, they just capture your license plate and send it to the car rental agency and the only way to pay it is to sign up for some online pay feature that costs 25 bucks to register so they can process a $1.40 toll.

TOTAL F***ING SCAM.

I expect better from Texas that that. What a profound disappointment that anyone in Texas would tolerate that sort of underhandedness.

[PAR35]

The inspection sticker is no problem...just go in and have the vehicle inspected. No paperwork required.

Around here, paperwork is required - you have to show proof of insurance. So at least the buyer is running around with insurance on the vehicle, or the stickers are expired.

[mad_as_he$$]

Years ago I sold a camping trailer. Kept the plates and filed with my state dmv a bill of sale. About 7 years later I get a call from some lady 2,500 miles away wanting me to pay the transfer fees for her state. Turns out the trailer had been moved or stolen with the title still in it. (Signed over to the people I sold it to) I told her no and she threatened to sue me. Last I heard about it. Still very odd.

I see cars with the wrong plates on them in a certain part of town. Here trailer plates have a special number sequence and it is very common to see a trailer plate on a Dodge van.

[DH]

I forgot...you are right about the liability insurance. However, the insurance company will have to verify the vehicle you are driving by title.....and that could cause a problem.